OSWEGO – James “Jim” Gioia, 98, passed away on Christmas Day Dec. 25, 2023 at St. Luke Health Services, Oswego, NY.
A native of Oswego, born Jan. 24, 1925, he spent his boyhood days on the family farm in Minetto. At age 19, he was inducted into the 88th Blue Devils Infantry Division of the U. S. Army. After training in Georgia, he was sent to North Africa, and later to Naples, Italy. Somewhere near Florence, Italy, he was injured when a building that he was in was shelled. He received several medals including two Purple Hearts for gallantry. He helped a captain, a sergeant, and two other soldiers that had been injured by the shelling. He himself was wounded, but carried on to save his comrades. He was bandaged up and sent back to the front lines. His lingering wounds became severely infected, and he was eventually sent to a hospital in Florence, Italy. He carried shrapnel in his right arm for the rest of his life. In 2017 NYS Senator Patty Ritchie personally inducted Jim into the Oswego County Veterans Hall of Fame.
Jim had worked for G. E. Co. in Salina, as well as the Carrier Corp., Syracuse, retiring in 1987 after 20 years. He was a member of the Carrier Retiree Assoc.; a life member of Phoenix Memorial Post VFW Post 5540. While living in Phoenix, NY, Jim had a very large garden to which he gave much of his produce away to neighbors once ripened.
He was predeceased by his mother Philippa (Serraino) in 1957 and his father Domonico Gioia in 1953; his
first wife Florence Lucy (Shortsleeve) in 1990; several brothers & sisters.
He is survived by his loving wife Gail (Manchester) Draper *note Gail & Jim were married on Good Friday April 3, 2015; his daughter Della F. (Gioia) Falter of Baldwinsville; step-children Deborah (Michael) Longo, Paul Van Dyke (Patti Reitz); grandchildren & great-grandchildren; nieces & nephews.
A calling hour will be from 11 a.m. until noon on Friday Dec. 29, 2023 with a noon funeral service in the Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home, 431 Main St., Phoenix, NY . Burial with military honors will be in Phoenix Rural Cemetery, 126 Chestnut St., Phoenix, NY.
Contributions in Jim’s memory to: Phoenix Area Food Pantry, 43 Bridge St., Phoenix, NY 13135
